SRINAGAR: The continuous detention of the people arrested post-August 5, is taking a heavy toll on their health. In a recent case a middle rung political leader, Bilal Sultan, 47, affiliated with the Awami Itehad Party (AIP) is the latest addition in the list.
He was taken to a psychiatric hospital in Srinagar for a checkup, after he showed signs of depression. He is under preventive detention since August last year, Economic Times reported.
In 2019, he contested the by-elections in Srinagar against Dr Farooq Abdullah of National Conference and lost. Sultan is currently under house arrest at the MLA hostel and but he resigned from the later recently.
ET reported that after the phased release of politicians since November last year, Sultan now shares the MLA hostel turned sub-jail with former bureaucrat turned politician Shah Faesal, Peer Mansoor of People’s Democratic Party and Hilal Rather of National Conference, all three of whom have been slapped with Public Safet Act. Sultan continues to remain under preventive detention, as he was rearrested twice during his detention period after the court granted him bail twice in October and December last year.
“His condition is bad. He is extremely depressed,” ET quoted Muzammil, wife of Sultan, who lives with their 13-year-old son, saying. Senior government officials informed that Sultan was taken to Psychiatric Disease hospital at Rainawari in Srinagar.
